Swear On Her Name
by hooknleather
Summary: "Who are you?" "Killian Jones, but most people have taken to calling me by my more colourful moniker - Hook." Emma Swan was a fiery temptation he just couldn't bring himself to resist. And their love story was the most amazing story of all. [A canon fic, of the CS story from Killian's perspective]
1. The Doctor

**~K &E~**

Swear On Her Name

The Doctor

The stench is stifling. The heat of bodies piled upon bodies being almost too much to bear. But his revenge matters far too much to give in now. Cora gave him a job to do, and he intends to carry it out. Gain the heroes trust, lead them astray. Get the compass, get back to Cora and her sparkly dirt. And go and skin himself a crocodile.

The waiting has started to become excruciating. _How long could four bloody women take?_ But finally he hears footsteps nearing, he switches his expression into the poor, helpless blacksmith character that Cora had instructed him to play.

The women's voices reach his ears, he bites back a smirk at the horror and despair that lies in their words. Their discussion of the ogre attack, their description of the carnage around them sends a thrill through his veins.

He shifts slightly as their voices edge closer, hoping that one of them will see the hand that now feels a cold chill on its skin. Sure enough, a high voice called out.

"Hey! Hey! Look!" He hates to admit it, but her voice is music to his ears. The soft femininity of her voice wracked with individuality that tells him of a similar past to his own. _Oh, we are going to have some fun_ …

A hand reaches his own, pulling him from the carnage a top him. He immediately switches deeply into his character.

"Please…" His own voice makes him feel sick, the pathetic nature of it sending nausea rushing through him. "Please help me." _Ugh… The life of a coward_ …

Still, he keeps up his charade, the blazing sun hitting his face as he stares up at the women around him. Two he has already seen before, and is quite well acquainted with. One looks like a warrior, dressed in an armour unlike any he has even witnessed before in his travels. Another is evidently from this world, in a long purple gown that appears far too regal for the current situation.

Strange clothing catches his eye, a short-haired woman in the oddest apparel looks at him worriedly, before turning to the other woman. And his jaw almost drops. She is quite possibly the most stunning creature in all the realms. He looks past her interesting and intriguingly tight clothing choices, noticing the way the sun shines against her golden tresses.

She looks strong, tough, and is utterly gorgeous. _Gods. How I'd love to take her back to my ship and have my devilish way with her_ … But he keeps his facade. He won't let some blonde goddess distract him from getting his revenge on the Crocodile. Never.

 **~K &E~**

The women are kind. The blonde and the warrior lass are wary of him, that's for sure. But they help him out of the bodies and wander off to fetch some water. Biding his time, he hides his face in his hand, pretending to be traumatised by the events caused by Cora, but really keeping a careful ear out.

His years as a pirate captain had granted him with a keen sense of hearing, listening for mutinies from within his crew and ending the traitors' miserable lives before they had a chance. The two women edge their way closer to him, goblets of water in their grips. He can just about hear their conversation, the way they discuss the backstory he had spun a few months prior.

"Said he lost his hand in an ogre attack. Why would Cora leave a survivor?" The warrior woman appears to say, trying to keep her voice low but failing tremendously (much to his pleasure).

"It's messy. Doesn't make sense…" He bites back a laugh. _She doesn't trust you one bit…_

"You think he's lying?" So… the warrior woman supposedly believes him… _That's a start…_

They are so close to him now, trying desperately to keep their voices low, but his hearing is far too good. He keeps his head down, acting sad and horrified.

"I think Cora's tricked us before. I don't want that to happen again." The beautiful blonde stands next to him, holding out a cup of water. "Here you go."

 _Time to act the victim._

"I can't thank you enough for your kindness. Fortune, it seems, has seen fit to show me favour."

He isn't surprised when she asks him how he escaped, his answer readily prepared.

"She attacked at night - slaughtered everyone in one fell swoop." He adds a quiver to his voice for dramatic effect, sinking into the role of the coward. "When she started ripping out people's heart, I hid under the bodies of those who had already been killed. Pretended to be dead myself. Mercifully, the ruse worked."

She raises an eyebrow at him, and it takes every inch of him to bite back a smouldering smirk in return.

"So much for fortune favouring the brave."

He makes a mental note. _She's a feisty one._ Something about her sarcastic tone sets him in a state of awe at the woman, something that he has to push down, quipping back with a phrase drenched in defensive sarcasm.

"It was all I could do to survive."

And then, she does something he doesn't expect. Something that sends a fire racing through him. She leans forwards, face close to his, her voice a whisper that sends a million shivers down his spine.

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I'm pretty good at knowing when someone is lying to me."

He swallows roughly. _Who does she think she is?_ He whispers back.

"I'm telling you the truth."

Her soft smile is unconvincing. He knows she doesn't believe him. But perhaps with enough charm, he can sway her opinion.

The pixie-haired woman peaks his interest, mentioning the town Cora had referred to as housing the crocodile. He's further intrigued when she mentions a grandchild.

"You have a grandson?" _She looks far too young to have a grandchild_ … His query, innocent enough, allows him to possibly make a headway into them trusting him. He acts like he is truly interested in her family.

He is disappointed when she replies bluntly, not caring to go into detail about how she could possibly have a child and grandchild. He guesses it's due to the curse that forced him to be frozen for twenty-eight years.

"Well, I know this land well." _Time to face the music_ … "I can guide you-"

His head is pulled back by a rough tug on his hair. All and any hope he had swiftly fades as the blonde's voice, dropping with venom, whispers in his ear.

"You're not gonna guide us anywhere, until you tell us who you really are."

 _Bloody hell…_

 **~K &E~**

Just what he bloody needed, tied to a tree by four woman. After closer inspection, he had come to realise that the short-haired woman had a recognisable face. Snow White.

And he had finally learnt the names of the three other women as they forced him up against the rough bark of the tree. The warrior woman was Mulan, the regal brunette was Aurora. The blonde referred to Snow White as Mary Margaret for some bloody reason.

And the blonde herself, well… Swan. Emma Swan. He had to admit it. But it suited her. He bites back a wince as Mulan roughly tugs on the rope, letting it chafe against his waist uncomfortably.

He resorts to his pathetic, whimpering persona. _I'm going to see this through._

"I already told you. I'm just a blacksmith."

The Swan girl simply rolls her eyes at him, causing him to clench his jaw in frustration.

"Sure you are." Then she whistles loudly. _Bugger_. "You don't want to talk to us? Maybe, you'll talk to the ogres when they rip you limb from limb."

 _Oh, bloody fucking hell_ … The trees around them start to shake as the ogres start to approach. One last try and then he'll tell them. Damn Cora to hell, he's a survivor and is not about to let four woman end his life.

"You… You can't just leave me here like this!" He shouts after them, trying desperately to get them to believe him.

"What if he's telling the truth?"

 _Aha_!

"He's not."

 _Damn. Oh, bloody hell, the jig is up._

He stares at Swan's retreating back, before rolling his eyes and gritting his teeth. He lets the blacksmith character go, instead bringing the pirate back into play.

"Good for you!" She turns, finally seeing him as the man he is. He smirks, devilishly. "You bested me. I can count the amount of people who have done that on one hand."

She walks back to him, looking up with a haughty expression in her gaze. _She really isn't in the mood for any kind of shit… Well, I guess it's my job to give her some._

"That supposed to be funny?"

 _Oh, making jokes about my hand? Clever lass…_

"Who are you?"

He sighs inwardly.

"Killian Jones. But, most people have taken to calling me by my more colourful moniker." He pauses for dramatic effect. "Hook."

Snow White is next to talk. "Hook." The realisation on her face makes him want to grin, if not for the current and life-threatening situation he has found himself in.

"Check my satchel."

She pulls out his namesake, gaping as the sun glints off the metal. He longs to feel the weight at the end of his arm again, to tear through the coarse ropes holding him against this bloody tree.

"As in Captain Hook?"

The Swan girl's voice forces his gaze back to her, a smirk gracing his features.

"Ah, so you've heard of me."

Of course she had heard of him. Who hadn't? The most fearsome pirate in all of the realms.

"You better hurry up." Of course, question time. "They're getting closer. So, unless you want to be dinner, you better start talking."

Wanting very much to not be an ogre's dinner, Hook decides to betray Cora in a split-second.

"Cora wanted me to gain your trust, so I could learn everything there is to know about your Storybrooke. She didn't want any surprises when she finally got over there."

The Swan girl still doesn't look convinced and tells him as much, referencing the destruction of the magical wardrobe.

"Ah, but the enchantment remains. Cora gathered the ashes. She's going to use them to open up a portal." He smirks inwardly as they all share a panicked look. _Perfect_. "Now, if you'll kindly cut me loose…"

He can do this, he can sway them to be on his side. He doesn't give a damn about who he allies himself with, as long as he can get his revenge. Hook glares at Mulan when she responds.

"No. We should leave him here to die. To pay for all the lives he took."

 _The bloody nerve_ …

"That was Cora, not me."

The Swan girl seems to be the leader, instructing the other women to leave him there. Irritated and desperate, Hook calls out after them.

"Wait. WAIT! You need me alive."

Emma looks incredibly irked when she turns back to him, evidently bored with the conversation.

"Why?"

Hook throws on the charm, his need to survive this and get to that new realm overtaking his every sense.

"Because we both want the same thing - to get back to your land." _Come on, Swan. Help a pirate out._

"You would say anything to save yourself. Why are we supposed to believe you now?"

Hook sighs, frustration overcoming him again.

"I arranged for transport with Cora. But, seeing how resourceful you are, I'll offer you the same deal. I'll help you, if you promise to take me along."

She seems interested now, his mission was a success. He grinds his teeth slowly as he stares her down, seeing the cogs grinding in her head, his offer tempting.

"How are you going to get us home?" She asked, her interest piqued enough to allow him to work on convincing her completely.

"The ashes will open a portal, but, to find your land, she needs more." _Didn't expect that now, did you?_ "There's an enchanted compass. Cora seeks it. I'll help you obtain it before she does."

He can see her starting to accept his deal, her need to get home forcing her to do what she has too in order to succeed. Even if it means trusting a pirate.

"So, Cora won't make it to Storybrooke, and we'll be one step closer to getting home."

What could she possibly have at home that was so important? Snow White had her grandson and husband, who did Emma Swan have? He would find out, if his life depended on it.

"Sounds too good to be true." Snow White says. Hook rolls his eyes, looking at her.

"There's only one way to find out."

Swan draws his attention again, her voice piercing him for some reason. _Why does this woman affect me like this? You don't even bloody know her, Killian._

"You tell me one thing, and whatever you say, I better believe it."

 _This ought to be good…_

"Why does Captain Hook want to go to Storybrooke?"

 _Oh… Swan. You have no idea._

Hook's expression darkens, the thought of the Crocodile sending hate coursing through his veins.

"To exact revenge on the man who took my hand… Rumplestiltskin."

The knowing glances the women give each other tell him everything he needs to know. Cora was right, the Crocodile is in this 'Storybrooke'. And Captain Hook _will_ get his revenge.

 **~K &E~**

 _Bloody stupid clothing choice here, Cora. How in the hell am I supposed to walk through a forest in this ridiculous monk attire…?!_

Hook sighs as he leads the heroes through the woods, directing them to the beanstalk atop which the compass lies.

"Up ahead. We'll find the compass just over the ridge."

And once again, his wonderful hearing plays an important role, hearing the women trailing behind discuss him leading them into a trap. They couldn't have been more wrong.

For once, Hook was telling the absolute truth. He doesn't care about Cora, simply wanting that damn bloody compass to get to a new realm and kill the Crocodile.

 _They are wrong to not trust me… although I can't really blame them._

Finally, they make it to the edge of the forest. He swallows when he seems the tall, looming beanstalk in the distance. _Taller than I suspected…_

"Let me guess… The compass is up there?" Emma stands beside him, her eyes fixed on the plant before them. He can see the worry in her eyes.

Hook smirks. "Oh, yeah."

Her gaze remains fixed on the beanstalk, all of the women staring at it.

"So, how do we get to it?"

"It's not the climb you need to worry about." Smirking, Hook looks over to her. "It's the giant at the top." He returns his gaze to the stalk, but he can feel her eyes on him.

Swan makes the first move, clambering over a log in front of them. Mulan pushes on him and he follows, hands tied and nearly tripping over his blasted robe. The group make their way over to the beanstalk, preparing to start a whole different kind of adventure.

 **~K &E~**


	2. Tallahassee

Swear On Her Name

Tallahasse

The sun is blinding as Hook glances up at the beanstalk, his hands bound and he is still clothed in that bloody ridiculous robe. Swan stands next to him, her mouth agape as she stares up at the beanstalk. Close your mouth, love. You'll catch flies.

"It's a little freakier than I remember from the story." She says causing Hook to smirk slightly. The two other women comment on it, but he doesn't care to pay attention, eager to start the climb.

"Well, your compass awaits. Shall we?" He says, smiling slightly and starts walking, not caring to gain a response from the women. Just let me climb the bloody thing and get it over with...

"Wait. If these beans create…portals, why not just pick one and go home? Why the compass?" Swan asks awkwardly, seeming to still be struggling with the idea of magic beans and fairytales, despite being in the presence of apparently a well-known pirate captain. But still, she poses a good question but one that is easily refutable.

"Because there aren't any more beans. Whatever story you think you know, my dear, is most certainly wrong."

Swan spins a poorly explained story that sounds far more wonderful and pleasant than the one he knows to be true. Bit more to it than that, Swan. And a hell of a lot more death...

"Sounds like a lovely tale," he responds,"but the truth's a little bit more gruesome. The giants grew the beans, but rather than use them for good, they used them to plunder all the lands. Jack, was a man who fought a terrible war, defeating all but one of the evil giants. The beans were destroyed by the giants as they died." Hook glances up at the beanstalk as he speaks, the tall, seemingly never-ending stem reaching high into the clouds. "If they couldn't have their magic, then nobody could. It's really very bad form."

"Evil giants, who made magic portal beans?" Emma replies, apparently not overly believing the true story. "Why doesn't anyone just go up and grow some more?"

Hook smiles at her. "Because one giant survived. The strongest and most terrible of them all. And we'll have to get past him to-"

"The magic compass." Snow White interrupts. Do all heroes talk over other people like this?

"Indeed. The treasure remains, and amongst it is the compass. Now it will guide us to your land." He starts to get irritable, sick to death of providing explanation after explanation.

And yet, explaining seems to be all he is doing. He talks with the women painstakingly, describing to them his plan and reasoning for siding with them. Finally, he manages to get them to trust him enough to removes his bindings; Snow White staring him down as she roughly tugs them from his wrists.

Hook leans forwards close to her, smirking at her as she stonily stares into his eyes. "Thank you, milady." Hook whispers to her, winking. Life's no fun without a little flirtation. He finally tears off those blasted robes, tossing them aside. Damned garment…

"I've got one more of these." He says, tapping the leather cuff around his wrist, causing it to glow bright yellow. The women watch his every movement. Well, I've always enjoyed the attention of ladies…

"Cora was to accompany me. So… Which one of you four lovelies shall take her place?" This ought to annoy them… "Hm? Go on, fight it out." Oh, how I wish they would. "Don't be afraid to, you know, really get into it." Hook knows exactly how his statement will be taken, with a roll of the eyes and a scathing look at him. And he is absolutely right.

~K&E~

Hook stands in the background, arms crossed and waiting patiently. Finally free of that infernal robe, he looks every inch the pirate again, leathers glistening under the sun.

He listens in to the women debating over who will join him, a smirk on his face. I know who I want to come with me… He looks at the Swan girl, her pale yellow hair glowing around her pretty head like a halo.

His smirk grows even wider when Swan steps up and takes control. "It's me. I'm going, and I'm not going to fail." Snow White makes a comment, clearly not supportive of Emma being a 'newbie' in this world. Then Swan says something that surprises him and shows him the reason why she's so determined to return to this 'Storybrooke'.

"It's about getting back to Henry. I don't care what I have to face. You're not going to argue with me?" Ah, so this is all about a child… Hook feels a slight pang of disappointment, but the lack of a ring on her finger or mention of a significant other allows him to remain hopeful. He's watching her closely when she turns to Mulan.

"Anything in that bag that's going to help me with a giant?"

"Or Hook?" The warrior woman responds. Hook holds up his hand and hookless brace in defense. That's just bloody rude.

"Hey!"

Mulan pulls the Swan girl further aside, and Hook struggles to overhear the conversation, his ears straining. Bloody secretive types... Mulan mentions something about poppy powder, a form of sleeping magic he is familiar with. But their voices are lowered further, and he simply has to watch and wait for any indication that they've reached the end of their conversation.

Alright, I've got to end this…"Ladies. In this world we are slaves to time, and ours is running out. In other words, tick tock." With that, Emma approaches him and he grins at her. Perfect. "I was hoping it'd be you." She holds her wrist out to him and he grabs her hand, placing it on his shoulder.

"Just get on with it."

"Put your hand right here." He pats her hand softly. "That's a good girl." He snaps the second magical cuff to her wrist, smiling at her. "This will allow you to climb. There are other dangers. Thankfully, you've got me to protect you." She gives him a sarcastic smile when he gestures to the empty brace at the end of his wrist. "I can't climb one-handed, can I?" Taking advantage of a cripple, love?

She very reluctantly hands him his hook, and he grins happily as the familiar and comforting weight returns to the end of his arm. Much better.

"Don't think I'm taking my eyes off you for a second." She glares at him.

"I would despair if you did."

"Let's go."

And so the climb up the beanstalk begins. And my my my, does Hook enjoy the view.

~K&E~

Hook feels like he and Emma had been climbing forever, his limbs screaming at him for relief, but they keep going. Scaling the beanstalk is tougher than he had anticipated. I would willingly lose many doubloons to see Cora doing this…

He must say, he's been enjoying listening to the little sighs, grunts and moans of exertion coming from Swan. But the silence is starting to grate at him, the need to find out just who this woman is forces him to open his mouth.

"First beanstalk? Well, you never forget your first." He grins at her, but she doesn't respond. This bloody woman… He tries again. "You know, most men would take your silence as off-putting, but I love a challenge."

"I'm concentrating."

Sure, love. That's what it is.

"No, you're afraid. Afraid to talk – to reveal yourself. Trust me – things'll be a lot smoother if you do."

"You should be used to people not trusting you."

"Ah, the pirate thing." It always comes back to my choice of a lifestyle… "Well, I don't need you to share. You're something of an open book."

"Am I?" Ohhh, Swan… Poor, innocent, Swan...

"Quite. Let's see – you volunteered to come up here because you were the most motivated. You need to get back to a child."

"That's not perception. That's eavesdropping." Aha, think you've got me there, love? Think again.

"Ah, but you don't want to abandon him the way you were abandoned."

She looks at him in slight shock. Knew it. I'm right.

"Was I?"

"Like I said, an open book."

"How would you know that?"

Because I was abandoned too. But that's for me to know. Hook may be pushing Emma to reveal herself to him, but that doesn't mean he's obliged or willing to return the favour.

"I spent many years in Neverland – home of the Lost Boys. They all share the same look in their eyes… The look you get when you've been left alone."

"Yeah, well, my world ain't Neverland." So it's been a rough life for Emma Swan? He gets that. So it seems there's more similarities between him and this woman than he initially thought. And that intrigues Hook, the idea of kindred spirits.

"But an orphan's an orphan. Love has been all too rare in your life, hasn't it? Have you ever even been in love?"

"No. I have never been in love."

He doesn't believe her for a single second.

~K&E~

Finally, after hours of gruelling and labouring, they reach the top of the beanstalk. Before them lies a giant, destitute looking castle. The surrounding is empty, broken pieces of the castle littering the floor.

"What happened here?" Swan asks, gazing around, her eyes almost sad as she stares at the desolate scene before them.

"It's where the final battle was." Hook says, glancing around before his eyes fall on the red wetness on her palm. Time to be a hero. "Give me your hand."

She whips around to look at him, evidently still not trusting him at all. "What?"

"Your hand – it's cut. Let me help you."

Swan tried to back away from him, shrugging the clear and evident pain she's feeling off to avoid having him help her. "No, no. It's fine."

Not on my watch, love. He grabs her wrist with his hook, pulling her towards him. "No, it's not."

Hook starts to root in his jacket for his flask, needing to disinfect the wound.

"So, now you're gonna be a gentleman?" Swan says, trying to act as though she doesn't care for how he's trying to help. But Hook knows better.

"Giants can smell blood." He whispers, his voice teasing and mischievous. "And I'm always a gentleman." Always.

He uses his teeth to pull the cork from the flask, spitting it out. He pours his favourite brown liquid over her hand, his hook holding it in place despite her attempts to get away. Goodbye, my sweet, trusted friend.

"Ah! Ow! What the hell is that?" She cries out.

"It's rum. A bloody waste of it." He pulls his scarf from around his neck, wrapping it around the now-clean injury. "Now here's the plan – we wait for the giant to fall asleep. And when he does, we'll sneak past him into his cave. It's where the treasures are…" He stops talking to secure the knot with his teeth, eyeing her and smiling slightly at how it evidently affects her. "...where the compass lies." Oh, she definitely enjoys a man who's good with his mouth it seems...

"And then?"

"And then we run like hell."

"I don't have time to wait for a giant to fall asleep. The powder Mulan gave us – we need to use it. We got to knock him out."

He smirks. Clever lass. "Well, that's riskier."

Swan raises her eyebrows at him. "Than waiting for a giant to fall asleep when we need him to?"

"Point taken." God, she's delightful... "Oh, you're a tough lass. You'd make a hell of a pirate."

Her next comment makes his stomach drop, makes him regret ever extending his arm out to her to see.

"Who's Milah on the tattoo?"

Bugger. He doesn't have time to discuss his lost love with some woman on top of a bloody beanstalk. "Someone from long ago."

"Where is she?"

Stop it.

"She's gone."

"Gold." Who? "Rumplestiltskin." Damn Crocodile. "He took more than your hand from you, didn't he? That's why you want to kill him."

So she does understand love. He's not about to let her just use him like this, push him for information when she's unwilling to reveal herself in return. "For someone who's never been in love, you're quite perceptive, aren't you?"

"Maybe I was, once."

Knew it. There's more to this woman than she wants me to believe.

~K&E~

This bloody thing is heavier than it looks… Hook thinks as he wields a large bone, looking up at Emma who sits atop a statue, the poppy powder in her grasp. Time to set this plan in action.

"You ready?"

"Yeah."

That's all the response he needs. He slams the bone against a huge metal shield, the sound echoing across the surrounding area. A loud roar signals the waking of the giant, and the shaking floor and pounding footprints let's him know exactly what to expect. Oh, bloody hell...

The giant, a bloody huge beast, exits the castle, anger at being disturbed showing clear as day on his unbelievably large face. Hook takes a deep breath before stepping back slightly, taunting and provoking the giant, leading him in the direction of Emma. Time to play the hero.

"Hey! You big git! Yeah, you. Huh? You want to kill a human? Huh? You want to kill a human? Well, I'm the worst human around. Come on. Come on, then! Come on, then!"

The giant's enormous hand stretches down to grab him and Hook has a momentary moment of complete and utter fear. I'm going to die being crushed by a bloody giant… But Swan comes to his rescue, flinging the powdered poppy in the giant's face, knocking him out cold. The ground shakes when the tremendously huge body hits the stone, directly in front of Hook.

He's surprised to hear Swan call out in fear, apparently worried that he's been hurt. Well, well, well...

"Hook? Hook!"

He doesn't prolong her misery, standing up over the sleeping form of the giant and looking down at the large man. "He's out cold." Hook looks up at Emma, a large grin on his face at the look of relief on hers. "I don't mean to upset you, Emma, but I think we make quite the team!"

~K&E~

Gold. Gold everywhere. Stacks of coins, trinkets and treasures littering the entire hall. Hook gazes around in awe and wonder as they wander through the large space.

"They hoarded all of their greatest stolen treasures in here. Piles of jewels, and every room filled with coins." Hook's voice trails off as he heads over to a pedestal. He lifts one to his nose, sniffing and smiling in satisfaction. A pirate always loves his treasure.

"Let's get to it." Swan says, sounding almost exasperated. Bloody women and wanting to hurry constantly. "The compass."

"What's your rush?" He responds nonchalantly, still smirking at the gold between his fingers. 

"How long do you think magic knockout powder lasts?"

"I have no clue." Honestly, does she have to talk in questions..?

"That's my rush." Point taken…

Hook taps his finger against the coin as he ponders her answer. "Too right, lass." He pockets the coin, slipping it away neatly. "Come. Everything we need is right in front of us." He smiles widely as he leads her deeper into the treasure room, knowing that she will follow him no matter how much she glares and frowns.

~K&E~

"They kill all the giant housekeepers, too?" Emma says as they wander through the hall, Hook's eyes skirting around for any hint of a compass. " How are we going to find a compass in this mess?"

"By looking." He responds, pointing to the left-side of the room. "Start searching." Hook gets distracted by more coins, more treasures. Lovely lovely gold… "I wonder how much treasure we could carry down the beanstalk." He looks over at Emma, who is shooting him another one of her 'really?' glances. "…In addition to the compass, of course."

They walk a little further, coming across a skeleton holding a sword, the name Jack etched into the blade. Ah, there he is...

"What the hell?" Swan says.

"That… Would be Jack." Hook states bluntly. As if it wasn't bloody clear enough. Might as well start calling me Captain Obvious.

"As in Jack…" Emma trails off, looking up at Hook, her eyes almost grieving after looking at the decaying bones on the stone floor of the hall. Does Swan have a heart behind that leather-clad, walled-up exterior?

"The giant killer." He shrugs, once again pointing out the obvious.

"With that toothpick?" That 'toothpick' is laced with poison, love. Could take a giant down with the tiniest nick.

"Well, it packs quite a wallop. You'd be surprised." Hook smirks, walking past the skeleton and starts to head deeper into the treasure room.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" What the-? Before he knows what is happening, Swan's arms are wrapped around him. It takes him a minute to register what is happening, but soon enough he pulls her closer, smirking.

"It's about bloody time." Swan struggles in his grip but he keeps ahold of her tightly. Try to resist me all you want, lass. But we both know that there is something between us. He does relinquish his hold after a few moments, being a gentleman and all that.

"It's a trip wire. Quite a security system." He follows her gaze, spotting the large cage suspended from the ceiling via a cord and pulley system. Clever giants...

"Well, that's a plausible excuse for grabbing me…" He says softly, fiddling with a loop in her blonde hair flirtatiously. "But next time don't stand on ceremony."

"Let's find the compass and go home." Let me guess, I'm pushing my luck. The look on her face seems to confirm his thought process, but he retains his smirk as he motions to the wire for her to move, "After you." Swan says, gesturing him ahead of her. He hums softly, giving her another once over before stepping over the wire, heading deeper into the room of treasure.

~K&E~

"So it's just…in here somewhere?" Swan exclaims after a good long while of rooting through treasure. Aye, love. Why did you think we were up to our elbows in gold? Still, Swan's evidently irritated and bored composure doesn't bother Hook. He knows he needs that compass, and there is no way in hell he's leaving this beanstalk without it. I'm getting my revenge. And I'm going to enjoy myself while I do it.

"Allegedly." He looks up at some kind of golden cage, spying a chest and more treasure resting atop it. Aha, a hiding place. He reaches out to Emma. "Give me a boost would you, love?"

But of course, Swan declines. Stubborn lass.

Hook catches her arm as she walks over, trying to convince him to let her perform the task for him. "Try something new, darling." He finally loses his jovial appearance, falling serious as he tries to get her to let him in. This will go a lot smoother if you do, love. "It's called trust."

There's a brief flicker of something in her eyes as she looks at him, and his heart catches slightly in his chest. Is this the moment she opens up? But he sees those walls fly back up, only slightly crumbled as she finally accepts that she doesn't have to do this alone, even if she won't trust in him enough to let him face the climb by himself. "We do it side by side and fast. Who knows how long before the-"

A loud boom catches them both off guard, Swan's speech interrupted by the pounding footsteps of the newly awoken giant. Buggering hell… "Someone's up." The footsteps grow heavier, the entire room shaking. Hook nearly loses his balance as the floor rumbles, coins and treasures falling around them due to the force of the large feet against stone. "Quickly. Get under something."

Hook leads Emma away from the cage, running to find cover. Before he realises what is happening, stones fall from the ceiling, the shaking form the giant running having caused part of the ceiling to collapse. The last thing Hook hears as the rocks crash down on top of him, one striking his head and knocking him out cold is his moniker falling from Emma's lips in a worried cry. "Hook!?" 

~K&E~

Hook wakes minutes later, everything muffled by the rocks pressing him against the ground. He hears voices, crashes and shouts as he lays there trapped, but he can't manage to make anything out. Come on, Swan… Trust me enough to help me, please…

Finally, light starts to appear as rocks are shifted away, fresh air filling his lungs again as Swan works on making a gap for him. He laughs as he reaches out to grip her hand, letting her help pull him from amongst the rocks. He tries to ignore the small sparks that run up the base of his arm when their skin touches.

"You are bloody brilliant. Amazing." He says breathlessly as he works his way from between the rocks, still laughing softly. "May I see it? The compass." He asks her. Hook is slightly stunned when Emma actually heeds his request, reaching into that strange leather jacket and presenting her hand to him. Bloody hell… The golden trinket is one he would envy of any fellow sailor, the carefully sculpted circular rim holding together the well-crafted glass-covered machinery of the nautical object. "It's more beautiful than legend."

As he reaches his hand out to touch it, only touch, Emma's eye grow suspicious once more, hand withdrawing as she slips the compass back into her pocket. Still not going to trust me? As you wish, Swan… He feels a pang of disappointment that she still refrains from having faith in him, perhaps he was hoping that someone would see past the lifestyle that he has found himself living. I guess that doesn't matter... "Come. Let's go."

It's surprising once again when Emma's soft palm slips into his. They look at each other for a moment, almost seeming to communicate just through their eyes. Hook smiles at her softly, giving her a gentle nod. Trust me, you can trust me, Emma. But the moment is shattered when a golden cuff is snapped around his wrist by the woman. No. 

"What are you doing?" He mutters as she quickly steps away. He stands up, eyes sad and hurt as he repeats his question. She can't do this…

Emma apparently struggles with her decision, her face betraying her by showing that she truly doesn't want to do this. Those bloody walls… "Hook, I… I… I can't…"

"Emma, look at me." Please, love. See that I'm telling the truth. See that I won't betray you. "Have I told you a lie? I brought you here. I risked my own safety to help you. The compass is in your hand. Why do this to me now?" His voice is thick with emotion. 

"I can't take a chance that I'm wrong about you." That hits him in the heart hard. Wrong about me. She trusts him. And she's afraid of that. So she's just going to let him die. What kind of hero does that? "I'm sorry."

Anger flares through him as she backs away. Hook steps forward, eyes blazing as he yells at her. "You're sorry? You're sorry?!" The damn chain stops him following her. " I got you here! I got you the compass!"

"I got the compass." Sorry, love. But you wouldn't have survived for two minutes without me here to help you. He glares at her in pained anger, he won't die here. He's lived for too long to have his life ripped away from him by a bloody giant.

"Well, you're just going to leave me here to die? Have that beast to eat me, to crush my bones?"

"He's not a beast." She retorts. He's a bloody beast from where I'm standing. "And you're not going to die. I just need a head start – that's all." And without giving him a chance to register what she has said, she turns and walks away. No. He pulls against the chain, but the damned metal won't budge.

"Swan. Swan! SWAN!" But she's already gone. And he's alone.

~K&E~


	3. Into The Deep

**Ok so its been a while again but not as long as last time. Unfortunately this fic is a LOT of work so it takes me a while to actually write it due to amount of detail it requires, so there's no hope of weekly updates due to me actually having a personal life. Anyway, hope this chapter is enjoyable!**

 **~E &K~**

Into The Deep

Pain. Pain in his arms. Pain in his legs. Pain in his heart. Hook grits his teeth as he makes his way back down the now slippery beanstalk, the plant slick and wet with rainwater. Ten hours after Emma Swan abandoned him, left him there in the great hall, the giant allowed him to leave.

Hook imagines hundreds, in fact, thousands of ways he could get revenge on the blonde woman who had betrayed him, no matter how much she made his heart race. He ignores the way that his head swirls with images of the woman, his chest aching to feel her touch. He hasn't longed for a woman like this in years, not since Milah.

Anger bursts within him like a fire, replacing the worrying ideas of blooming emotions and feelings for the Swan woman with hatred and rage. _How dare she. How dare she just leave me like that._ He cursed her name for the entirety of the ten hour wait, and the entirety of the climb down the beanstalk. He's still cursing her now, calling her the most rotten things in his head in order to cover up the fact that his usually non-existent heart is aching, something that hasn't happened since… since Milah…

Finally, eventually, after what seems like years later, his feet touch the rain-drenched ground, boots squelching in the wet mud at the base of the beanstalk. His entire body aches, the sweat from climbing being washed off by the rain that makes his leathers cling to his body, his hair plasters itself to his forehead. He wishes nothing more than to find a dry area to make camp and just sleep. But he's barely taken a recovering breath when the one voice he really doesn't want to hear rings out through the rainfall.

"My dear Captain. It seems you've been on quite an adventure." He lets out a sigh, head tilted back and his eyes closed. _Bloody Cora._ He tries to delay the inevitable by not turning around, trying to wish Cora away. _If I wish hard enough, she might vanish… Right?_ "The compass, please."

He finally turns around at that. _She's not going anywhere…_ Maybe he can sway the witch with flattery and flirtation, or just simply lying. That usually works well enough for him, he is a pirate after all. "Yes, that. Well… matters grew complicated. It's eluded me for the moment. The details of the affair are a bit of a bore." His smile is so obviously feigned - a large wide grin that pulls up the corners of his mouth. Hook turns to fully face Cora as he speaks, noticing instantly that she is not in the mood for him to taunt her. _So taunt her I will..._

"Really? Stealing my protection spell and climbing the beanstalk without me might seem like a bore to you. But to me, it's a betrayal." _Damn._ He's not going to let some damned witch desert him in order to chase that infernal bloody compass that has resulted in his heart lying in tatters in his chest.

"I was going to bring it to you." He attempts to reassure her, convince her that he definitely wasn't betraying her, definitely wasn't planning on heading to Storybrooke without the witch who wanted to kill her own daughter all those years ago. "Our agreement remains. We are going to Storybrooke, together. I'll get it back."

Hook can tell that his attempts are futile, the look in Cora's eyes, the soft smile on her lips a clear sign that she knows he's lying, knows he betrayed her. _All because of some bloody blonde._

"I don't have time for your games." Cora says, and Hook knows that there is little point in trying to convince her otherwise. "I've crossed through too many worlds to be brought short at the brink of success. Who was it who bested you?"

"The Swan girl – Emma." Saying her name feels like a stab in his heart. "Rest assured, it won't happen again."

"No, it won't." Cora laughs, and Hook wants to slash her throat with the tip of his hook at the sound, a tone that seems to mock him for his failure. But of course he won't kill his only chance of travelling to that other world to kill the bloody Crocodile. "You chose her, and the consequences of that decision."

"Oh. Are you going to kill me now?" The pirate who's killed dozens, hundreds, possibly thousands who have attempted to usurp or threaten him in his long life finally rears his head. Hook grows cocky, rash, dark. His eyes narrow as he swaggers a little closer, a small smirk on his face as the witch in front of him speaks with an air of threat in her often calm demeanour. "Go ahead. Try."

"So brave. No, I'm not going to kill you. I have something far more satisfying in mind." His stomach churns at Cora's new found, 'suggestive' tone. _Am I really going to have to end up seducing this bloody woman?_ "I'm going to leave you here with your thirst for revenge unquenched, while I complete our journey without you." _It seems I am..._

"There's no need to be rash. We can… discuss this." His smile is forced as he edges closer, trying to win her over with his charm and good looks. Oh yes, Killian Jones is well aware that he is a handsome man, he's well aware of the effects his smile alone can have on a woman. Even if that woman is quite possibly one of the darkest women he's ever encountered. But Cora is definitely uninterested. _This could almost be luck? Despite the chance of never getting my revenge._

"Your pretty face buys you a lot, but not my time." For once, Hook feels the prickling sensation of loss seeping down his spine. His smile fades, a cold sensation settling in the pit of his stomach. "It's too valuable."

"I can do this. I can get it back. You need me." _Come on, Cora. One more chance._

"No, I don't." A roar of anger catches in his throat as she turns away from him, her voice etched with laughter. "You've had your chance. Now, it's my turn to do this. The right way." The roar escapes and he lunges forwards, hook raised threateningly. He eagerly awaits the feeling of the metal slicing into flesh but all he feels is the wet grass against his cheek. _Bloody hell…_ Cora disappears in a cloud of blue smoke, removing his chance of revenge on the Crocodile and also the chance to kill the witch who has been making his life hell. Hook is once again, well and truly alone.

 **~K &E~**

It takes him a while to sneak into that damned pit without grabbing Cora's attention but Hook is a pirate, he manages it in the end. If he's anything, he's resilient. After climbing down the rope ladder, he enters through the rough wooden door, looking around the dark hole in the ground to see the princess, who had helped Swan and the others tie him up, laying motionless. An idea springs to mind. He glances down at his hook, drawing nearer to the princess. _With this… She won't even know what she's missing. And I may gain favour with Cora and_ _the heroes once again..._

"Wake up. Wake up. Come on, sweetheart. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. On your feet. Hurry." He tries to act worried and caring, his face a mask of worry as she rouses, her eyes peeling open as she looks up at him. He wraps his hand around her arm, trying to pull her to her feet. But as her mind apparently clears, she pulls back.

"No! No! Are you going to kill me?" _Bloody hell… For a princess she isn't half thick._

"If I were here for that, then waking you first might not be the best course of action." He says bluntly, hook crashing down on the princess' shackles, breaking them open instantly. The princess backs away, almost tripping over that ridiculous purple gown she wears.

"So what? Did Cora send you?" She really needs to learn to be more trusting, even if he is lying through his teeth to get what he needs to convince Cora to accept him back.

"Cora has no idea I'm here."

"I don't… I don't understand." _Oh, for goodness sake love, wake up!_

"Look, I know you're sleepy… Isn't it obvious? I'm setting you free." For love of god will she just see that he's genuinely letting her go?

"What is this? Some sort of pirate's ruse?" _Evidently not..._

"Cora's denied me passage to Storybrooke and my vengeance." Explaining, again. These women don't seem to understand that explanations take rather a lot of time, time that could be better spent escaping this blasted pit. "And now I'm going to deny her her wishes, starting with the compass. In pirate terms, you might say I'm firing a shot across my enemy's bow."

"You'd risk your life to break in here, all so you could thwart Cora?"

"I don't like being double-crossed. Now, go."

"Thank you."

The princess turns to leave, apparently accepting his excuse as to why he fought tooth and nail to get in here to let her escape. Hook catches her arm as she passes him. _May as well attempt to gain a trip with this side as well, if my plan fails..._

"You can thank me by doing me one favour." She pulls her arm out of his grip, apparently owning a form of gumption that he wouldn't have expected from a princess. _Still not entirely trusting…_

"What?"

"Give Emma a message." He tries to act sincere, to convince the woman that his words are honest and true, even if they aren't. "Tell her that the deal still stands. If she provides me passage back to her realm, I swear I will help her find that dust that opens the portal." It's not a _complete_ lie… just an embellishment of the truth.

"You really want to assist us?"

"It hurts Cora and helps me. Of course I do. Now go." The princess follows his order, running out of the door. Hook watches her leave before turning away, letting out a soft breath displaying his satisfaction with that latest turn of events. Now all he has to do is sit and wait for the witch to return, and he can _finally_ get his revenge.

 **~K &E~**

 _Cora sure does know how to make an entrance._ The witch bursts through the door, heading straight towards the broken and empty shackles on the dirty floor, not even noticing Hook lurking in the corner. Her face clearly displays her stress, her lips pursed.

"Looking for someone?" She turns to look at him and he spots the moment she comes to a realisation, her neck straightening as she puts two and two together.

"Oh, don't tell me you were dumb enough to let her go." _Not very ladylike, Cora. Watch your bloody language…_ He's not going to let her try to intimidate him. Not when he has something useful for her.

"She was never going to give you what you wanted anyway." He can't contain the smirk on his lips at the fact that he bested her.

"So you freed her. And stuck around for the petty satisfaction of seeing me suffer?

"Oh, watching you suffer is a tempting motivation, but it wasn't that."

"Well then you must have a death wish."

Before he knows what's coming Cora flings her hand out and a hard force hits him in the chest, pushing him backwards. His back slams against the stone wall painfully and he grunts as she holds him there with her magic, the stone wrapping around his wrists. He watches as she walks closer to him. _Bloody hell… This wasn't a part of my plan…_

Hook clenches his jaw when she reaches down, clicking his namesake from its brace, removing it from his arm. _The bloody nerve… killing a man with his own hook?_ Then Cora decides to taunt him further, using the hook to pull his shirt open, the cold metal dragging across his skin. _In any other situation, this would be rather enjoyable._ Hook tries not to let the image of a blonde with green eyes performing the same action as Cora into his mind. That would _not_ be helpful right now.

"You know I have to kill you."

"You should try thanking me." _Time to reveal the truth._

"Oh, really? Why's that?"

"Because I've brought you a gift. It's in the satchel." He nods his head to the bag that is currently dangling from his body. He can feel the soft pulsating of the so-called 'gift' against his hip.

"What is it?" She asks. _Oh,come on, Cora… Have a little faith..._

"Customarily surprise is part of the fun of gift giving. Open it."

She seems reluctant, but she does reach down with the hand that isn't currently holding his hook to his body, detaching (more like ripping) the satchel from his belt. He watches with contained glee as she opens the small brown pouch. He knows the moment she sees it, her eyes widening as she looks back up at him.

"Is that..?"

"Indeed it is. And with it, you'll get everything you want." She smiles at him, a small, barely there smile, but a smile nonetheless.

 **~K &E~**

Hook stands and watches as Cora instructs the princess Aurora through the heart he stole, the glowing red muscle pulsing in her hand. He smirks as he listens to half of the conversation, being that he can only hear Cora's side.

"It was Hook. He let me go." He smirks, knowing that Emma will see the 'compassion' in his heart. Compassion that may not _exactly_ be real. At least this way, he will gain favour with not only Cora, but with the heroes as well. Unless Cora decides to ruin it all by abusing the power he has given her along with the heart.

"Because of you. He said he wanted to prove to you, that you should've trusted him. That if you had trusted him… you could've defeated Cora together." It hits him slightly that the words Cora speaks are technically true. He would have betrayed Cora if Emma had taken that step in trusting him. But none of that matters now, she didn't trust him. And now she has to reap the consequences. "That the two of you could've gotten the remains of the wardrobe. Without him you'll have to go up against her all by yourself. He only wants to help. I… I think he may care for you."

"Nice touch, that." He smirks, absentmindedly scraping under his nail with the point of his hook as Cora lowers the heart, turning to look at him.

"But you know she won't trust you." Cora says, and he shrugs in response.

"Ah, she doesn't have to." Hook retorts, even though deep down he knows he wishes that Emma _would_ trust him. "All I need is for her to believe that I was genuine in letting the girl go, which I wager she does now. You're welcome."

"Impressive. You took a heart."

 _Only with the aid of your daughter, love. Not that I'm going to remind you of that fact..._

"Now you've a princess."

"Indeed I do."

This mindless chatter is all well and good in cementing the strangeness of this sort-of friendship. But he has a job to do. A crocodile to skin.

"Now, can we get on with the business of going to Storybrooke… together?"

"Why not? I hate to travel alone." _Perfect._ "All we need is the compass."

"Which will soon be delivered." He says softly, turning away from Cora to leave the pit in which he has spent far too much time. Time which can now be spent getting back that compass and showing Emma Swan that no one betrays Captain Hook. Not even a beautiful woman. He _will_ make her pay for leaving him on that beanstalk, because that's just the kind of man he is. The kind of man he will _always_ be.


	4. Queen of Hearts

**This chapter is dedicated to Sofia and Rachel for both being such amazing supporters of this fic. (Shout out to Sofia for betaing this chapter too, thanks my love.)**

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter, mates. I'd appreciate if you could hook me up with a review or let me know your thoughts on Twitter or Instagram (hooknleather)**

 **See you next time with some Hook shenanigans in Storybrooke.**

* * *

Queen of Hearts

Hook and Cora lurk in the shadows of Rumplestiltskin's cell, waiting for the opportune moment to strike and capture the heroes. The women discuss some form of bloody ink and Hook tries not to growl with anger at the sight of Swan sitting on the floor with a piece of parchment in her hands.

The holding back only grows more strained when she speaks, the voice that he had once hoped would trust him ringing out clearly in the damp dark cave.

He hears Cora whisper softly and suddenly the previously-captured princess whose heart he had stolen throws a rock at the pulley system, resulting in the cage quickly sliding closed. The heroes all look at her in shock.

"Aurora, what are you doing?!" They yell out as the barrier traps them in the cell, hands reaching to grab the bars in a vague attempt to stop it from closing them in.

"Helping me." Cora says and they finally look up, spotting the two lurking in the shadows. Cora uses her magic to pluck the compass from Emma. Hook grins at the sight of the blonde woman helplessly pulling and climbing on the bars of the cage, an attempt that is completely useless.

Hook listens as Cora thanks Aurora and the women turn on her, so easy to distrust their companion who's eyes are wide with confusion. But, the witch is soon to reveal the truth, pulling the pulsing, glowing heart out to show to them.

"You took her heart?" Emma says in shock and almost fear. _Now, now… Cora can't get all of the credit…_ Hook finally speaks up.

"Actually, I did." He says softly, feeling Emma's gaze shift to where he is nonchalantly leaning against the cold stone wall. _Time for her to see how wrong it is to betray Captain Hook._ "It was a gift."

He doesn't expect Cora to cause Aurora pain, but she does. She squeezes on the glowing red muscle in her hand, resulting in the princess crying out and clutching at her chest. Hook knows what the witch is doing, this is a warning. A warning that interference only ends in pain and heartache. _A pain I know all too well..._

"Forgive us." Cora says. _Time to go._ "We'd love to stay, but Storybrooke awaits."

The witch turns away from the heroes, walking past Hook and out of the damp cave. He glares at Emma as he pushes off of the wall and turns to follow. But the Swan girl surprises him once again, calling out to him desperately. "Hook. Wait."

He reluctantly turns back to her, his face stony and filled with anger. _Don't try and play this game with me, Swan._ "Please don't do this. My son is in Storybrooke. He needs me."

He isn't going to have any of it. He counted on her, he _trusted_ her. But she betrayed him. Now he's going to repay the favour. "Perhaps you should've considered that before you abandoned me on that beanstalk." He says, his eyes flashing as he walks back towards her. He glares darkly as he draws nearer.

"You would've done the same." She says, evidently she feels that the abandonment isn't as badhe feels. He steps even closer to her, close enough for her to see the hurt, betrayal and honesty on his face as he responds.

"Actually, no." He whispers softly before pulling the shrivelled bean he stole from the giant out of his pocket. "Do you know what this is, Emma?" He holds the chain close to the bars so that she can clearly see it, recognition crossing her features in an instant.

"The bean that the giant kept." She thrusts her hand towards it, evidently eager to grab it from Hook's grasp. But he's too quick for her, pulling it away and holding it up tauntingly. He can see the pain and desperation in her eyes as she hopelessly stretches her hand towards him, but it's a useless attempt.

"Uh-uh-uh…" _Now now, Swan. There's no point in even trying to get your hands on this small piece of magic..._ "Yes, indeed." He says as he holds the bean up, looking at it in satisfaction.

He knows what he's doing to her, knows how angry and irritable she will get. "A pirate always keeps a souvenir of his conquest, but this… Well, this is much more than a mere trinket."

"This is a symbol. Something that was once magical, full of hope, possibility… Now look at it."

He holds up the shrivelled, grey bean. _What a lovely metaphor_.

"Dried up, dead, useless. Much like you." He whispers the last line. He's done with humouring this woman. He needs to kill the Dark One, and she is standing in his way. _Well not anymore. "_ The time for making deals is done, just as I'm done… With you."

He walks backwards, still looking at the anger and frustration in her eyes before he turns, leaving the four women trapped in the cell. Only a little time longer… and then he can skin himself a crocodile.

 **~K &E~**

 _How much longer is this going to bloody take?_ Hook sighs agitatedly as he and Cora walk through a barren field, dirt and dried grass paving the way.

"Where are we going?" He is sick to bloody death of secrets and mystery and blindly following Cora. If he is going to trust her again, he needs to be absolutely certain that she isn't leading him astray.

"Lake Nostos. The legend says its waters hold the power to restore what was once lost." _Aha!_ Well, if Cora leads him into a trap, or betrays him, he now has a backup plan. The pilfered magic bean.

"It'll return magic to what remains of this wardrobe. And then, we'll be able to cross worlds." As she speaks, the lake comes into view. Or, at least it _was_ a lake.

The plain of dry dirt, wood and skeletons may look just like the bottom of a lake, but there isn't a drop of water in sight, magical or not. "I may be a simple pirate, but… I know one thing – lakes have water."

Unsurprisingly, Cora waves her hand and a small vortex magically forms in the middle of the former lake. Dust circles up into the air and the ground breaks away. Hook watches with an eyebrow raised as a large geyser of water shoots up from the dirt, pouring out onto the bare lake floor.

"After everything we've been through, why do you still doubt me?" Cora says, looking over at him with an air of smugness that makes him want to sigh and turn away. But he doesn't, this is one of his only chances to get revenge. So, it's probably best not to aggravate the witch.

The roaring geyser gradually subsides, leaving behind a small lake, which - to be brutally honest - is more of a pool or puddle. But it's enough. It _will_ get them to Storybrooke.

Cora pulls out the vial of sparkling dirt. "And now, the ashes." She passes them to him. "Would you care to do the honours?" _Oh yes, I would._

Hook takes the ashes from her, popping the lid from the bottle and sprinkles them into the lake. The effect is almost instantaneous, a magical dip forming in the water, a large whirlpool portal that will get them where they need to go. _To the Crocodile._

 **~K &E~**

Once the portal has grown enough to be recognisably safe to travel through, Cora holds the compass out to him. _That damned thing…_

Hook pushes all thoughts of Emma Swan from his mind, forcing the guilt he feels from leaving her locked in the cell deep, deep down. _I can't be distracted. Not now. Not by a woman._

"I told you I'd deliver you to Rumplestiltskin." Cora says, the portal causing a wind to stir around the two of them. He put his hand onto the compass as she talks. "Now don't let go. Unless, you want to end up someplace that isn't Storybrooke."

The two of them prepare to jump, adrenaline coursing through Hook's veins. Then, before he can even think about leaping into the portal, an arrow shoots the compass from their hands.

Hook looks up, shocked to see the heroes stood on the other side of the pool. _Why do I feel relief that Swan is safe, no longer trapped?_ "You're not going anywhere." Swan shouts. "This portal's taking us home."

The three start moving around to them and Cora turns to Hook. "Find it first. I'll take care of them." He obeys her command and immediately turns to search for the compass, ignoring the burst of heat and flame that signals Cora has thrown a fireball at the heroes.

Hook heads towards the compass, pulling his cutlass from its sheath just in time as Swan's sword comes clashing down against his own. It's immediately obvious that she has never been in a fight before, at least not with blades.

Hook could easily beat her, but he wants a bit of fun first. He'll taunt her, tease her, bide his time. Then, he'll end the fight and get the compass and go, Cora be damned.

It's not long before he manages to swing Emma's sword from her grip, but he wasn't expecting her to rush at him when unarmed. His reflexes are quick though, and he lifts her, throwing her to the floor. Snow White fires an arrow at him, which he dodges.

Swan starts to crawl towards her sword. _Oh no, love. Not today…_ He grabs her by the ankle, dragging her across the sand as she struggles. _How did I end up fighting this woman? There are three of them, and it has to be Swan I battle with?_

Hook glances over at the other members of this fight just in time to see the satchel which contains the missing princess' heart soaring over the portal. He strains as he reaches his hook out, bending uncomfortably in an effort to catch the bag.

He lets go of Swan's ankle, not caring that she rushes to grab her sword, as he tosses the bag to the warrior woman. "I may be a pirate, but I bristle at the thought of a woman losing her heart – unless it's over me."

After a brief discussion, Mulan rushes off to return the heart and Emma once again advances on Hook. Her stance is all wrong as she points her sword at him, which he once again ignores. "I had no idea you had such a soft side."

"I don't." He rolls his eyes, readying himself again. Just like a fair fight."

Hook swings his sword again, the two blades clashing together. His coat flies around him as he turns, advancing on her as she deflects his attempts with his sword.

The duel continues with Hook going easy on the woman, for some reason he just doesn't want to hurt her. _A fair fight indeed..._

His blade pushes against hers and he uses his upper body strength to push her arms down, his face close to hers. "Good form." _A lie, she's terrible at this._

"But not good enough." He catches the leg that rises up to kick him with his hook, flipping Emma onto her back.

Swan holds her sword up above her, and so Hook decides to tease her. He crosses his hook and sword, sliding the two pieces of metal down Emma's sword, pinning her to the ground completely. _Hmm, that's a sight…_

"Normally, I prefer to do other more enjoyable activities with a woman on her back." He says, not even caring as she looks at him with an expression of almost complete disgust.

"With my life on the line, you've left me no choice. A bit of advice? When I jab you with my sword, you'll feel it." It's a horrendous line, he will admit it. But he can also see the way it affects her, weakens her. "You might want to quit."

"Why would I do that when I'm winning?" Suddenly she pulls the compass from underneath her back and his smirk dropping. Annoyingly, she manages to keep him distracted long enough to kick him off of her, a grunt sounding from his throat due to the force of her boot impacting with his stomach. _Bloody hell…_

He is still winded but managed to catch her sword with his before it connects with his body, struggling as the duel starts up again. He uses every inch of strength he can muster to force her sword down before realising she has a hand free. "Thanks." She says, her arm pulling back.

The world almost seems to go in slow motion as the compass in her fist moves closer, a burst of pain on his jaw and he falls back, slipping unconscious immediately.

 **~K &E~**

"Emma!" Hook's eyes peel open at the shout, his vision blurred but he can still clearly tell that Cora's hand is deep inside Swan's chest. _No!_ He doesn't know why, but for some reason seeing Emma about to die makes his heart clench.

"Oh, you foolish girl." Cora says and Hook manages to sit himself up, watching with wide eyes and a racing heart. "Don't you know? Love is weakness."

He winces when Cora tears her arm back, waiting for the moment that he sees Emma Swan's heart within the witch's grasp. But the moment never arrives. Instead, Cora's hand appears to be stuck within Emma's chest, apparently unable to rip her heart out. _Well, that's a new one..._

"No." Swan says, her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide with shock. "It's strength."

Hook jumps when a burst of white light emanates from Emma's body, knocking Cora backwards. He doesn't move, knowing that he and Cora have lost.

He watches as Snow White runs over to Emma, both of them discussing what just happened with shocked expressions.

He stays still while they look to the portal, his body apparently frozen to the spot with awe as he watches them leap into it.

And just like that… She's gone. Why does it hurt so much seeing her leave? He's been through it before. Well, then again. It hurt that time as well… Who is that woman? Why does she have a hold of him so easily? And now he'll never find out… Except… _Wait! The bean..._

 **~K &E~**

His head aching slightly, Hook makes his way over to Cora who is staring out at the now calm water, a shrewd expression on her face. "We failed." She states, and Hook bites back a grin. _Time to save the bloody day._

"Really, Cora. After all this time, why do you still doubt me?" He holds up the mummified bean, hoping for a reaction but she just stares at him. _Way to kill the dramatic entrance of the way to Storybrooke..._

"Well, that bean's petrified. It's useless."

"But these waters have regenerative properties. Perhaps, it's time to do some gardening." He smirks to himself as the realisation appears on her face. She gets to see her daughter and he… Well, he gets to have a long awaited chat with a certain Crocodile.

 **~K &E~**

A small town, full of colours and strangely shaped houses, comes into view as Hook raises his telescope to his eye. Cora stands beside him as they sail closer to the much awaited destination, a black wilted rose in her grip, assumedly for her daughter.

"There it is." He says, gazing at the town with a confused expression on his face. It certainly is a strange looking place, although Emma and Snow White's clothing does make a lot more sense to him now.

"Storybrooke." Cora says, a smirk on her lips. Hook can't help but smile too. _Time for a long overdue chat with the Dark One. A chat that will finish my revenge once and for all..._

 **~K &E~**


	5. The Cricket Game

**Little bit of a shorter chapter this one lads, but my twitter friends told me to post. So enjoy and once again thank you to Sofia for betaing for meeeeee.**

 **Leave a review? ;)**

* * *

The Cricket Game

With the cover of night, the Jolly Roger slips unseen into the strange looking docks of Storybrooke, the anchor settled on the ocean floor. Hook stands beneath the crow's nest, his hook curved around a rope on the mast, his eyes scouring the shining lights of the town for any signs of movement.

Nothing moves. Nothing sounds. Silence surrounds him, the only noise being the wind rushing in his ears and the soft sound of waves lapping against the side of his ship. _Perfect._ Grabbing the rope, Hook swings down from the boom with practised ease, his boots landing with a thump on the steps leading down from the ship.

Footsteps approach and somehow Cora must have sensed it was time for them to get exactly what it is that each of them came here for. Hook turns, seeing her walking towards him with a bloody parasol... _It's hardly even raining._

"Well, my dear Cora, this is where we shall part ways. Thank you for everything. It's time for me to skin my crocodile." He says after helping her off of the ship, stepping onto the dry floor of this new land for the first time. He turns to leave, but Cora reappears in front of him in a cloud of smoke.

"You might want to rethink this." She says, blocking his path. _No._ He won't rethink a single bloody thing. He's gotten this far for his revenge, there is no way in _hell_ that he's going to let some witch with a few magic tricks up her sleeve stop him now.

"We had a deal. Get out of my way." He's done with the games, the tricks, the deception. He's sick and tired of being played, of being used and pushed aside. Well, not anymore. He's where he wants to be now. He no longer needs assistance from the witch. His future lies solely with him, and him alone. He doesn't care if Cora still needs him. The deal is done, the pact has ended.

"Believe it or not, I'm doing you a favour." _Not bloody likely..._

"By preventing my vengeance?" He practically growls. Hook can tell his eyes are blazing, the blue boring into Cora's brown eyes as he stares at her, enraged. He won't let a witch, a magic user just like Rumplestiltskin, get the best of him. Never again.

"Ask yourself _how_ I'm doing that."

And the penny drops. _Magic._

"By using your dark magic."

"Exactly. Magic is here. And that makes matters a bit more complicated. If you go off half-cocked after an empowered Rumplestiltskin, do you know what'll happen?" She evidently sees the understanding in his eyes, the realisation that if he tries to go after the crocodile, he will be the one ending up dead. "So, you do. Good."

"Hey. You folks need anything?" They are interrupted by some kind of fisherman dressed in similar attire to Emma Swan and Snow White. _We definitely aren't in the Enchanted Forest anymore..._ "Tackle shop don't open until morning. But, if you want to go out and try and snare some of New England's finest pescatarian creatures, I'd be happy to open early for ya."

"No, thank you. We're fine." Hook is too preoccupied with the thought of the fact that he and Emma Swan once again share the same air to consider paying the stranger too much attention. He can't be bothered by a man trying to be friendly at a time like this, not when his mind is swirling with the newfound realisation that not only is he in a new land, but is in a land _with_ magic, not without.

"It's a fine vessel you got there." _Well, at least this fellow knows a bloody beautiful ship when he sees one._ "When'd you get in?"

"What vessel?" Cora says, which appears at first to be a ridiculous attempt to con the man into believing he's insane, due to the fact that the Jolly Roger is quite literally looming over the three of them.

"W-Why that one right…" The man trails off when Cora waves her hand and the ship fucking disappears. _The bloody witch bloody vanished my bloody ship..._

"Hey, that's a neat trick." The guy says, looking up at the now _fucking invisible_ ship. "You some kind of magician back in our land?"

Apparently the man's 'oh-so-chipper' attitude irritates Cora as much he does Hook, as the witch waves her hand once again, the strange fisherman suddenly looking much less like a _man_ and much more like a fish. Hook couldn't care less about the fish now flopping around on the docks, kicking it into the water as he turns to confront Cora.

"What did you do with my ship?"

"I hid it from prying eyes." _Oh._ "For what we both want to do, we need the element of surprise. Now you ready to listen to me?"

 _This bloody woman and her bloody cheek_. He's been listening to her since day one. It's she who doesn't care to listen to _him,_ acting without consulting him and using her bloody fucking magic to make his whole ship disappear. But sure, fine, whatever. He'll continue to play her game, as long as it gets him what he wants.

"Go on, Your Majesty. What now?"

"Let's go have a little look at this Storybrooke, shall we?"

Together they turn from the ocean, heading deeper into the night towards the town. Hook looks back instinctively to check on his ship, forgetting momentarily that it is now invisible. He is surprised when his eyes don't fall on the blackness of the sea at night, instead his gaze being drawn to a white bird swimming alongside the invisible ship. And not just any bird. _A swan._

 **~K &E~**

Hook's stomach drops. He and Cora stand perched on a rooftop, overlooking some form of tavern as they watch and wait. He sees Cora's daughter leave, something he was expecting. _My my my, the Queen sure does look a tad different without the formal dresses and slick hairdos…_

What he _isn't_ expecting is the sight of Emma Swan heading out of the tavern door after the queen, looking much cleaner and less _guarded_ than the last time her figure crossed his gaze. Hook can't help the pang that hits his heart, one that is from either heartache or anger. He prays it's the latter.

The two women appear civil until apparently Swan says something that upsets the Queen and suddenly the brunette starts yelling. Hatred and anger bubbles up inside him, wanting to sink his hook into the Evil Queen's chest for being so rude to Swan. But he doesn't, partially because he is stood next to the woman's mother, and also because he needs to stay hidden to get his revenge, feelings aside.

Emma turns to walk away, apparently not up for taking any abuse or criticism from Cora's daughter. _Good on her._ But, the queen stops her and the discussion begins again, the civility returning. It appears to end on some form of good terms, with Swan heading back into the tavern and the queen walking away. Alone.

"Well, is she broken?" He asks Cora, lowering the telescope from his eye and turning to look at the witch.

"Not yet."

 **~K &E~**

It's a full day before Hook sees Cora again. He's done a little scoping of the area, managing to not draw too many curious eyes as he explored the town. He will admit, it's probably the strangest place he has ever visited.

Places aren't lit with flames or gas lanterns but with a harsh white light unlike any he has ever experienced. Loud contraptions that are similar to carriages but have no horses cart people through the streets, travelling at immense speeds. There's noise everywhere, strange and unnatural sounds that are such a contrast to life in the Enchanted Forest.

But Hook has adjusted to the conditions of hundreds if not thousands of environments over his long life, this is no different. It will take some getting used to of course, but there is no doubt in his mind that he will manage just fine.

Once the sky darkens, night starts to draw in, Hook grows impatient. He's run out of things to do. His original plan was to get here, find Rumplestiltskin and kill him. But of course, now he can't do that without Cora's aid. Once again he's stuck, stuck waiting for other people. _Gods…_ When did his life start to revolve around waiting for the needs of women to be met?

He takes to sitting on the docks by his invisible, hidden by a shroud of darkness. Only Cora will find him here. He lets the time fly by sharpening his hook, sitting and imagining all of the way the point can sink deep into the Crocodile's flesh.

And not too long later, Cora approaches him. _Finally._ Finally she has assumedly succeeded in her task of ruining her daughter's life.

"You're back. So, did you get what you wanted?" He says, still sharpening his hook as she draws nearer.

"Yes. My daughter's lost everything now."

"Ah. Well, aren't you mum of the year?" Hook grins up at the witch, a mocking look on his face. What kind of mother wants her daughter to lose everything? _The kind who only cares for herself… Much like my father..._

"I did what was needed."

"What about what I need?" Here it comes. He has spent nearly three hundred years hunting for this, plotting and planning his revenge. If his sensing of the air is right, then Cora should be ready to start aiding him now. "You promised you'd help me get my revenge on Rumplestiltskin."

"And I've already started." _Really?_ "Or didn't you notice the little gift I left you in the hold of your ship?"

 _Well of course I bloody didn't… The bloody ship is invisible…_

"A gift? What is it?" He asks, standing up from his perch on netting and ropes at the end of the docks and looking at her curiously.

"Not what. Who." She beckons him, and Hook is curious enough to follow her, the two of them climbing onto the invisible ship. Cora leads him into the crew's cabin, a place he knows all too well for being a grand hiding spot for stowaways. Of course, he also has a knack for dealing with stowaways. A knack that often ends with his hook buried in a person's chest.

Cora opens a storage grate by one of the bunks, and Hook peers inside. A flame-haired man with glasses is gagged and bound inside, evidently terrified and struggling. Hook can't say he has ever seen the man before, so is more than a little confused as to why in the hell Cora has brought him onto his ship.

"Who's that?" He asks, not beating around the bush.

"Someone privy to Storybrooke's deepest secrets, including Rumplestiltskin's." Cora responds, which peaks Hook's interest. "Someone who can help us determine his weaknesses here. Can't you, Dr. Hopper?"

"If that's him, then who did you kill?" Hook asks, having heard enough when exploring the town during the day to learn that a 'Dr Hopper' had been murdered in the night. He had guessed that it as to do with Cora, and apparently his assumption was correct.

"How do I know? It's my first day in town."

"You disguised the body to look like him. If death wasn't punishment enough… Marvelous work." He has to hand it to her, it is a very clever plan. If the man is assumed dead, then no one will come looking for him. And he will have all of the time he needs to work on getting every ounce of information about the Crocodile without the looming threat of the heroes finding him.

"Thank you. Now you'll have all the knowledge you'll need. It may take some work, but this cricket _will_ chirp."

"Aye. That he will." Hook grins down at Hopper, who looks back at him with fear in his eyes. This is perfect. A practically fail-safe plan that will allow him access to the Crocodile's deepest and darkest secrets. Secrets that will lead Hook to where he keeps his heart, no matter how black and shrivelled it may be. And when he finds it well… Hook is going to break it. Destroy it. And finally, _finally,_ get his revenge.


End file.
